Hometown Glory
by Leijona
Summary: He runs into her when her car has broken down on the side of the road and they end up spending some time together. AUish in that they don't know each other and are both in their late twenties. Nathan/Peyton. One shot for now.


_**Disclaimer**: I do not own One Tree Hill or any of its characters._

_**AN**: This has been sitting in my 'unfinished stories' folder for over two years now but it's finally time to roll with it. It's a one shot for now, but there is a chance I may continue with this. _

_**Summary**: He runs into her when her car has broken down on the side of the road and they end up spending some time together. AUish in that they don't know each other and are both in their late twenties. Nathan/Peyton. One shot for now. _

**_This one is for Lexie-Rae :) _**

* * *

He slows down as soon as he sees the stranded car on his side of the road. He pulls up behind it and is outside in a matter of seconds. There is no sign of an accident, but he wants to be sure, and so he scares her when he opens the driver's door without a warning.

"Oh, Jesus," she swears.

"I'm sorry," he takes a step back, holding up his hands to let her know he doesn't mean any harm. "I just wanted to see if you were alright and-"

"You could have knocked first," she interrupts, but there's a smile creeping up around her lips.

"Or I could just leave now," he shoots back, but with a twinkle in his eyes that says he isn't as serious as he'd like her to believe

She shrugs, trying to look unimpressed, "Or you could tell me your name and help a lady out here."

"Or I could do that," he agrees. He holds out his hand, "I'm Nathan Scott and I'll be your knight in shining armor tonight."

She shakes her head, but smiles, and takes his hand in hers, "Peyton Sawyer," and with another shrug of her shoulders, "so I guess I'm your damsel in distress then?"

He's surprised to hear the slightest hint of a southern drawl in her voice but he decides right there and then that it suits her. "You don't really look like the damsel in distress kind of type," Nathan says, with a nod towards the passengers' seat, which is covered in packets of crisps, some empty, some still full, and a bottle of water. "Looks like you were managing just fine."

"You're talking to the girl who always remembers to take snacks on road trips, but forgets to charge her cell before leaving." She shakes her head, her curls bouncing fiercely, while she slides out of her seat and stands next to him.

Her blonde curls are wild, yet they suit her, like they have taken over a bit of her personality. Or maybe it's the other way around. He is surprised to see that she's almost as tall as he is, and she's not even wearing heels. "Yeah, that is kind of," he hesitates, "stupid."

"Yeah," she nods, "I know."

"So what's wrong with it?"

"I think it's the battery. I mean, you get an iPhone and you would think that by now they would have figured out how to make the battery last longer than one day, but no-"

"I was talking about the car," Nathan interrupts. He lets out a laugh, "But if you want to tell me about your phone a bit more first, that's fine too."

She blushes a little and shrugs before she sighs, "It's an old car, who knows what's wrong with it? Maybe you could have a look?"

He puts his hands in his pockets and kicks the gravel at his feet, a little bit embarrassed about what he is about to admit. "I'm not really that great with cars."

She snorts, "So much for the knight in shining armor part."

"Hey," he crosses his arms in a defensive manner, "at least I have a cell phone that's fully charged, thank you very much." But he can't help a smile.

She nods, "That's the one thing you have going for you at this moment."

"Listen, why don't we get in my car, because at least I can still turn my radio on," he smirks, "and I'll call triple A?" He's sure she'd be absolutely fine if he made the call and left her here to wait for the tow truck on her own, but he could do with some company. If only to distract him for what was waiting for him a couple of miles down the road.

"Sure, let me just," she leans in and grabs two packets of crisps, "get us some snacks."

Nathan walks in front of her to his car and opens the passenger's door for her. He turns to her with a big grin, "See, I've got the knight in shining armor part down."

* * *

It's been 30 minutes since he's called triple A and even though they said it could take them a while to get there, he honestly didn't expect them to take this long, though he's not really sure if he's upset by it. "I hope you aren't in a rush to get anywhere," he begins, hoping to cut the small talk and get to know her a little better.

She shrugs, "Not really."

"Where are you headed to?"

There is a sad smile forming on her lips when she says, "Tree Hill."

He sits up a little straighter, "So was I!"

"No way," she looks at him, "Are you from Tree Hill too?"

"Born and raised," Nathan says, noting the pride in his voice.

"Same here," she nods but then her brows knit together, "You must have gone to Tree Hill High too then?"

"Yeah," he agrees slowly, realizing what she's getting at; they must be the same age, so how come they don't know each other? "When did you graduate?"

She hesitates for a moment as though she's trying to remember, "Ten years ago."

"Eleven years ago," he replies. "I still can't remember you, sorry."

"I wasn't very popular or active in high school," she simply states, as though that explains it all.

And it kind of does; "I was on the varsity basketball team," Nathan hears that pride in his voice again

She smiles, "And I spent most of my time hidden away in the furthest corner of the library sketching."

"That explains it," he agrees with a smile.

"It totally does." She looks at him again, for real this time, and there's a hint of recognition in her eyes, "You're _the_ Nathan Scott."

"Yes ma'am,"

She shakes her head, "I heard you and your brother were quite the legends at our school."

Nathan leans back, nodding, "We were."

"Wow, not one for false modesty, are you?" she shoots back, although there's a smile creeping around her lips.

"We won the state championships two years in a row," Nathan counters, "I think that has earned me some bragging rights."

"If you say so," she somewhat agrees, "Are you still playing?"

He shakes his head, "I quit a couple of years ago."

"Why?"

She seems so genuinely interested in his story that he almost tells her everything right then and there, but then he remembers that they hardly know each other and so he settles for the answer he always gives, "I got injured and had to stop."

"I'm sorry," she puts her hand on his arm and looks at him with such compassion that he believes her right away.

"How about you?" he asks, trying to draw her attention to something else. "Where did you end up after high school?"

He's not sure if she notices the abrupt change of subject, but if she does she gracefully accepts it, "I went to Los Angeles for an internship at a record company."

"You work in the music industry?" He asks, surprised. She seems like more of an artistic type to him even though he's not really sure what exactly he means by that.

She shakes her head, "Nah, I tried to set up my own record label, but it didn't work out."

He notices there's no bitterness in her voice and so he dares to comment on their failed attempts at success; "What a couple of losers we are," Nathan chuckles, "here you are not succeeding in the music industry while I had to end my basketball career-"

"Total losers," she chimes in. "I mean, look at us. My car broke down only a couple of miles from Tree Hill, you came to my rescue, as a true knight in shining armor I have to add," she grins and looks at him, "and now we have been waiting for over forty-five minutes for a tow truck to come pick me up _and _we're all out of crisps."

She exhales dramatically and rolls her eyes for full effect and he finds it totally adorable and hopes the tow truck doesn't come for a long time.

* * *

He's been lost in his own thoughts for a while when she speaks again.

"Are you sure you want to keep waiting here with me?"

He looks at her and shrugs, "I don't have anywhere to be."

"You must have been going somewhere," she counters, as though she's not satisfied with his answer.

"To be honest, I was one my way back to Tree Hill to sign my divorce papers."

"Oh," she stammers, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"It's fine," Nathan nods to let her know that it really is ok. But even though he doesn't want to, the image of his soon to be ex-wife pops up in his head and he can feel his mood change.

It's almost like she picks up on it, because she doesn't ask any more questions.

He doesn't want to make her feel uncomfortable though, so he suggests a game to pass the time, "How about we play 'Would you rather'?"

"You want to play a game with me?" she scolds, "What are we, fifteen and in high school again?"

But there's a spark in her eyes that he can't help but notice and so he shrugs, "Why not? Might as well have some fun while we pass the time."

"Ok," she agrees, "but I get to go first."

He nods and leans back, "Shoot."

"Ok," she drawls, probably thinking about what to ask him first. She sits up excited and looks at him, "Ok. Would you rather be able to fly, or be able to read minds?"

"Really?" he asks. "That's what you're going with for your first question?" She nods and he chuckles, "Ok, let me think," he pauses for effect, "I'd rather be able to fly so I could have an awesome basketball career."

She nods, "Ok."

"My turn," he turns to her and smiles, "Would you rather be seen but not heard, or be heard but not seen?"

"Jesus," she quietly swears and shakes her head. "Going straight for the deep questions, are we?"

He nods and watches her as she ponders the dilemma. She bites her bottom lip and stares into the distance and he thinks she looks absolutely beautiful.

She sighs and looks back at him, "Seen but not heard."

"Why?"

"Because I could always write down what I have to say," she explains, "but how would I let deaf people know I was there when they can't see me?"

"You have given this way too much thought," Nathan chuckles, "but it seems like a good answer."

"It totally is," she says with a smirk. "Ok, here's another one; would you rather be stuck on a desert island with 4 people you hate, or alone?"

"Nice one." He tries to think of four people he hates and then tries to imagine to be stuck on a desert island with them. He's about to answer her when she jumps up in her seat.

"Look!" she exclaims and smacks his arm, "the tow truck is here!"

She's out of the car before he knows it and he can't do anything but follow her. She's already talking to the driver and by the time he catches up with her he hears her agree to riding into town with the man. The driver goes to attach her car to the tow truck and Nathan's about to say that he'd happily drive her to Tree Hill when she turns around.

She smiles at him and does a little courtesy type of bow, "Thank you so much, my knight in shining armor."

He smiles too, though not wholeheartedly because he would have liked to spend more time with her.

She gives him a hug and kisses his cheek, "Seriously, Nathan, thank you so much for waiting out here with me."

"It was nothing," he rubs the back of his neck, surprised by her sudden affection. She doesn't seem like the hugging type. He hesitates, not sure how to tell her that he would really like to see her again.

"How long will you be in Tree Hill for?" she asks, and once again it's as if she can read his mind.

He shrugs, "A week or so."

"Alright, well maybe I'll see you around then?"

He smiles and tries to let go of whatever self-consciousness he has when he says; "I would like that."

She gives him an uncertain smile as though she doesn't know how to respond.

He decides to let it go and is about to walk back to his own car when he feels her hand on his arm.

"I usually have lunch at Karen's," she says quietly before she quickly turns around and climbs into the tow truck.

And all he can do is smile.

* * *

Reviews are appreciated, as always.


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